SR0870 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0870 LRB103 39770 MST 70289 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate wish to congratulate Arles Hendershott Love on being inducted into Illinois State University School of Communications, TV-10 Hall of Fame; and

WHEREAS, Arles Hendershott Love graduated from Illinois State University in 1979, which celebrates the 50th anniversary of its broadcasting program in April 2024; and

WHEREAS, Arles Hendershott Love has worked as reporter, photographer, producer, and assignment editor; she was named news director at WIFR in 1986, a time when less than 5% of news directors in the country were female; she became community relations director for WIFR and Benedek Broadcasting in 1997; and

WHEREAS, Arles Hendershott Love served as the state coordinator for the Radio Television Digital News Association from 1989 to 1993 and 1995 to 1996; she was on the Associated Press Illinois Advisory Board from 1989 to 1992, serving as president from 1991 to 1992; and

WHEREAS, Arles Hendershott Love regularly lectured to writing and broadcasting classes at Northern Illinois University and Rock Valley College from 1986 to 1997; and

WHEREAS, Arles Hendershott Love's community work includes serving in leadership positions on many community boards; she developed a telethon for the Rockford Rescue Mission at WIFR, which is now in its 27th year and has raised over three million dollars, and she produced a telethon while at WIFR for the restoration of Rockford's historic Coronado Theater that raised over $200,000 in one night; she chaired the American Heart Association HeartWalk and oversaw its growth from raising $20,000 a year to over $100,000; she coordinated the donation of a Children's TV studio to the Discovery Center Museum in Rockford; she developed a coat drive for the Rockford Salvation Army that collects and distributes thousands of coats each year, mostly to children, a drive that has continued for over 25 years; and

WHEREAS, Arles Hendershott Love became the development director at Milestone in 2005, the largest provider of services to children and adults with developmental disabilities in Northern Illinois; after 18 years on the job, over $24 million dollars had been raised; and

WHEREAS, Arles Hendershott Love's legislative involvement includes successfully lobbying for the AED/Good Samaritan Law in Illinois, working on several pieces of legislation designed to help the disabled community, lobbying for funding for disability services, and lobbying for a military designated license plate in Illinois for the U.S. Coast Guard; and

WHEREAS, Arles Hendershott Love has received numerous awards and recognitions throughout the years, including the 1986 A.P. Award for Best Spot News Coverage Downstate T.V. State of Illinois, the 1986 JayCees Presidential Award of Honor for Community Service, the 1989 Special Olympics Media Appreciation Award for State of Illinois, the 1991 YWCA Leader Luncheon Award for Outstanding Professional Woman of the Year, the 1992 A.P. Advisory Board Presidential Service Award, and the 1995 Rockford Area Crimestoppers of the Year; in 1998, she received the On the Waterfront Weekend Warrior Award, the Winnebago/Boone American Heart Association Volunteer Service Award, and the Rock River Valley United Way Volunteer Award; she received the 2000 Distinguished Service Award Winnebago/Boone Counties American Heart Association and the 2001 American Red Cross Outstanding Service Award; she received the 2003 Alpine Kiwanis Touch A Life Award for Outstanding Community Service, the 2008 Rockford Rescue Mission Volunteer Service Award, and the 2009 RAMP United Way Volunteer of the Year; she was also awarded the Lifescape Community Services Golden Star Award for Volunteer Support; and

WHEREAS, Arles Hendershott Love was appointed to the Illinois State University School of Communications Advisory Board and was named the School of Communications Homecoming Honored Alumni in 2021; and

WHEREAS, Arles Hendershott Love has been listed in Outstanding Young Women in America, Who's Who in the Midwest, Who's Who in Entertainment, Who's Who in America, Who's Who of American Women, and the America's Registry of Outstanding Professionals; and

WHEREAS, Arles Hendershott Love has remained committed to Illinois State University; she funds a scholarship each year for TV-10 students and visits the campus on a regular basis to mentor students; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Arles Hendershott Love on being inducted into Illinois State University School of Communications, TV-10 Hall of Fame; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Arles Hendershott Love as a symbol of our respect and esteem.